In this week’s episode of the Daily Transport News Podcast, our editor sat down with BYD’s Global President for an exclusive interview on the company’s strategy, the global EV race, and what the next decade of transport will look like. This is one of the most revealing conversations we’ve ever published.
DTN: BYD sold 4 million vehicles last year. Did you expect to grow this fast?
Honestly, no. Five years ago, we set ourselves a target of 3 million by 2025. We hit that in 2023. The market moved faster than anyone predicted, and our product competitiveness moved even faster. When you control the entire supply chain โ batteries, motors, electronics, software โ you can move at a speed that competitors who rely on hundreds of suppliers simply cannot match.
DTN: How do you respond to Western tariffs on Chinese EVs?
We build locally for local markets. Our factory in Hungary will serve Europe. Our Mexican facility will serve North America. Tariffs on imports don’t affect cars built in Europe or America. We are a global manufacturer, not an exporter. The distinction matters.
DTN: What does transport look like in 2035?
By 2035, the internal combustion engine will be in museums. Every car sold will be electric or hydrogen. Autonomous driving will handle 70% of highway miles. Cities will have reclaimed enormous amounts of space from parking and traffic lanes. The defining challenge won’t be energy or technology โ it will be updating the regulatory and physical infrastructure to match what the vehicles can already do.
